I noted with approval that her gown was pink and fluffy; it had also the advantage of displaying shoulders that were incredibly white, and a throat which was little short of marvellous. "I am glad," I whispered, confidentially, "that you are still wearing that faint vein about your left temple. I thought it admirable for early morning wear upon the house tops of Liege, but it seems equally effective for dinner parties." She raised her eyebrows slightly and selected a biscuit. "You see," said I, "I was horribly late. And when Kittie Provis said, 'Allow me,' and I saw--well, I didn't care," I concluded, lucidly, "because to have every one of your dreams come true, all of a sudden, leaves you past caring." "It really is funny," she confided to a spoonful of _consomme a la Julienne_. "After almost two years!" sighed I, ever so happily. But I continued, with reproach, "To go without a word--that very day--" "Mamma--" she began. I recalled the canary-bird, and the purple shawl. "I sought wildly," said I; "you were evanished. The _proprietaire_ was tearing his hair--no insurance--he knew nothing. So I too tore my hair; and I said things. There was a row. For he also said things: 'Figure to yourselves, messieurs! I lose the Continental--two ladies come and go, I know not who--I am ruined, desolated, is it not?--and this pig of an American blusters--ah, my new carpets, just down, what horror!' And then, you know, he launched into a quite feeling peroration concerning our notorious custom of tomahawking one another-- "Yes," I coldly concluded into Mrs. Clement Dumby's ear, "we all behaved disgracefully. As you very justly observe, liquor has been the curse of the South." It was of a piece with Kittie Provis to put me next to Aunt Marcia, I reflected. And mentally I decided that even though a portion of my assertions had not actually gone through the formality of occurring, it all might very easily have happened, had I remained a while longer in Liege; and then ensued a silent interval and an entree. "And so--?" "And so I knocked about the world, in various places, hoping against hope that at last--" "Your voice carries frightfully--" I glanced toward Mrs. Clement Dumby, who, as a dining dowager of many years' experience, was, to all appearances, engrossed by the contents of her plate. "My elderly neighbour is as hard of hearing as a telephone-girl," I announced. She was the exact contrary, which was why I said it quite audibly. "And your neighbour--why, _his_ neighbour is Nannie Allsotts. We might as well be on a desert island, Elena--" And the given name slipped out so carelessly as to appear almost accidental. "Sir!" said she, with proper indignation; "after so short an acquaintance--" "Centuries," I suggested, meekly. "You remember I explained about that."